Prepare (November 18, 2018)

This blog gives you a glimpse into the upcoming Sunday Gathering. It's an opportunity to read through the passage we'll be studying together, pray through some of the liturgy we'll be using, and listen to a selection of the songs we’ll be singing.

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ROMANS - The Power of the Gospel

SERMON

This Sunday, Gary Aston will be preaching to us from Romans 1:16-17, looking at the power of the gospel.

LITURGY

CALL TO WORSHIP

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Great is our LORD and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

(Psalm 145:3, 147:1-5)

MUSIC

• All Praise to Him (Sovereign Grace): A song of praise that speaks of the power of God which is displayed in creation and in Jesus death and resurrection.

• Man of Sorrows (Hillsong): A song that focuses on the cross of Christ and the power of God to save.

Reflect (November 11, 2018)

Welcome to the Sunday Gathering recap (songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon). This blog gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you heard in the gathering or catch up if you weren’t able to be with us.

*The indented sections are responses read aloud by the congregation during the Gathering

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SERVE THE CITY - Galatians 6

CALL TO WORSHIP

Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Philippians 2:6-11)

Song: Saviour of the World

Song: Fountain of Goodness

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard of the generous God we have. He is the giver of good gifts, yet so often we are ungrateful for his gifts and use them for selfish gain. We are selfish creatures, selfish with our time, money, resources and yet God has been generous towards us. Take a moment to confess to God the ways in which you can be selfish with the gifts God has given you and to reflect on his generosity shown to us in Christ.

Jesus himself tells us: For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

God has been generous to us in giving his son to free us and save us from our sin. We are only able to serve others and demonstrate generosity because of the way we have already been served by Christ. Let's ask for God's help in this as we sing this next song together.

Song: Lead us Back

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Tom Thrower preached to us from Galatians 6:1-10 look at how we help one another to carry our own load and bear one another’s burdens. Listen to that sermon here.

COMMUNION

Every week we want to respond to what God has done for us in Jesus. One of the great ways he has provided for us to remember the truth of the gospel is giving us communion. As we take the bread and wine we remember what Jesus has done for us.

POST COMMUNION READING

Jesus’ death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.

We rejoice that You have died, rose again, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.

With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.

We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.

Song: Hallelujah What a Saviour

Song: See the Lamb of God

COMMITMENT READING

Father God, thank you for sending Jesus into this world to save us from our sin. In light of his sacrifice and service for us, help us to serve one another sacrificially. Help us to not feel overwhelmed by our own loads that we are unable to see the needs of those around us. Equip us by your Spirit to bear one another's burdens and share our burdens with others. Amen.

(based on Galatians 6:2-5)

Song: In Christ Alone

BENEDICTION

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

Prepare (November 11, 2018)

This blog gives you a glimpse into the upcoming Sunday Gathering. It's an opportunity to read through the passage we'll be studying together, pray through some of the liturgy we'll be using, and listen to a selection of the songs we’ll be singing.

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SERVE THE CITY

SERMON

Tom Thrower will be preaching to us for our Serve the City gathering this week from Galatians 6:1-10.

LITURGY

CALL TO WORSHIP

Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Philippians 2:6-11)

MUSIC

• Saviour of the World (Ben Cantelon): A song of praise of our great saviour Jesus, who is our perfect servant King.

• See the Lamb of God (Lou Fellingham): A call to look again at the cross and remember the lengths Jesus was willing to go to save us from our sin.

Reflect (November 4, 2018)

Welcome to the Sunday Gathering recap (songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon). This blog gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you heard in the gathering or catch up if you weren’t able to be with us.

*The indented sections are responses read aloud by the congregation during the Gathering

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ROMANS - People of the gospel

CALL TO WORSHIP

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture.

(Psalm 95:1-7)

Song: Look What God Has Done

Song: This is Amazing Grace

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard that we have so much to thank God for. We've sung of the grace that has been shown to us in Christ, that we've been saved and redeemed from our sin. God tells us in his word that those who seek him, lack no good thing. Not only do we lack no good thing, but in Christ all of our deepest needs can be met. So often, though, we don't believe this and we live as though we have nothing to be thankful for. Instead of treasuring the gospel, we take our salvation for granted. We become dissatisfied and ungrateful of God, thinking he owes us, when he has given us everything in Jesus. Take a moment to reflect on that now, to confess to God where you have become dissatisfied or ungrateful of him. Let's read these words together now asking for God's help in this:

Father God, help us to be thankful for who you are and all that you have done for us. Would we truly believe that in Christ you will meet all of our needs and that if we seek you, we will lack no good thing. Amen.

(Based on Philippians 4:19, Psalm 34:10)

Song: Forgiven

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Gary Aston preached the second sermon in our new series in the book of Romans this week from Romans 1:1-15. Click here to listen to that sermon.

COMMUNION

Every week we want to respond to what God has done for us in Jesus. One of the great ways he has provided for us to remember the truth of the gospel is giving us communion. As we take the bread and wine we remember what Jesus has done for us.

POST COMMUNION READING

Jesus’ death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.

We rejoice that You have died, rose again, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.

With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.

We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.

Song: How Deep the Father’s Love

Song: See His Love

COMMITMENT READING

Father God, thank you that you have loved us with an everlasting love, sending Jesus into this world to save us from our sin. Thank you that we can know relationship with you and eternal life through him.

We pray that by your Spirit, you would grow our faith and our love for Christ. As we grow, help us to be an encouragement to one another and to build one another up in love. Amen.

Song: Cornerstone

BENEDICTION

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

Peace be with you.

And also with you.